DVDs
New DVD film on adoption
De Rugzak van Adoptie. The ‘burden’of adoption. In this short documentary, made by two Dutch students adopted from Columbia, we see the children’s home in Colombia, Los Pisignos, from where baby’s and young children are placed in foreign families.
The leader of the institution explains the procedures of relinquishment and adoption. We also see a young pregnant mother, who is very emotional about her decision to surrender her second baby. If she had only other options...
Back in Holland, Miguel, adopted from Colombia, tells about his reunion with his Colombian family and his difficulties to cope with his adoptive parents. Also Edwin and Daniel, two brothers from Colombia, tell about the growing problems in their adoptive family, ending in being placed in residential care. The next ‘displacement’. They all emphasize the importance of a good preparation and guidance of the adoptive parents.
Price: € 10,00 (English, Spanish and Dutch spoken, Dutch subtitled).
The struggle. Suzanne on her adoption (2007)
Utrecht University, Adoption Department. Directed by David Blitz, 21 minutes.
Suzanne Benne was born at the end of December 1979 in Bombay, India. She was abandoned and subsequently adopted in the Netherlands in 1980. Not long after her adoption father Rob and mother Pim got divorced. When Suzanne was twelve, she and her mother were filmed for the Dutch television. They had an emotional conversation about being adopted, about her hopes and fears.
Fourteen years later, Suzanne is 26 years old and looks back at this conversation and talks about her thoughts and feelings nowadays. Through discussions with Pim, Rob, brother Siebrand and partner Hugo we get to see Suzanne doing well in life, but still…not knowing her biological mom, probably never being able to find her, are themes that complicate her life.
This adoption film is very suitable for information meetings, discussion of adoption themes and therapeutic contacts. Adoptees and adoptive parents will recognise the subjects Suzanne is dealing with.
Extra: interview with Prof. Dr. René Hoksbergen about the movie (10 min.)
Price: € 10,00 (Dutch spoken, English subtitled)
Same Difference. Adoptive and biolgical children in one family (2010)
Utrecht University, Adoption Department. Directed by Martine Lunshof, 41 minutes.
‘Same Difference’ follows three mixed families with children between 4 and 28 years old. From several perspectives the experiences of different family members are discussed.
One family is awaiting Ricardo (4 years old) from Hungary. Then we see the sequel, 3 and 8 months respectively, after arrival of Ricardo.
A unique feature of the film is the interview with an adult sister and brother (childbirth), 39 and 41 years coming from two different families. About how they have experienced, and experience nowadays, the family situation in relation to their adoptive brother and sister.
The film provides a lot of information for adoption agencies, social workers and adoptive parents, particularly for prospective adoptive parents with one or more childbirth.
Price: € 10,00 (Dutch spoken, English subtitled)